Department for Transport

Railway Track: Construction

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they rejected a Freedom of Information request for a copy of the report by PwC on the comparative costs of developing and constructing high speed rail lines in Europe and elsewhere; and why it took two months for that decision to be reached.

baroness sugg: The information requested is being withheld under section 22 (1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 because it is intended for future publication. In applying this exemption we have had to balance the public interest in withholding or disclosing the report. The Department for Transport found the balance to be in favour of withholding at this time. The request raised complex public interest considerations. As allowable under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the department extended the response time limit by 20 working days in order to assess whether the public interest was in withholding or disclosing the information. The Noble Lord was informed of this extension on 21st December 2017.

High Speed 2 Railway Line: Colne Valley

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the latest design specification and visual impact of the catenary and masts on the HS2 Colne Valley viaduct; and with which railway specification they will comply.

baroness sugg: The design of the overhead catenary masts will be integrated with civil structure to provide a solution that is aligned with the architectural strategy for the Colne Valley viaduct. The Overhead Catenary System (OCS), including the masts, is designed in accordance with the requirements defined in the Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI) relating to the ‘energy’ subsystem and the associated standards.

High Speed 2 Railway Line: Construction

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the estimated cost of the design elements of each of the main construction contracts for HS2 Phase 1.

baroness sugg: HS2 Ltd has awarded contracts that include design covering Phase 1 Main Works Civils and Phase 1 stations, and will award other contracts in due course. In all cases HS2 Ltd are seeking to ensure maximum value for money for the UK taxpayer and releasing detailing information regarding the cost estimates for these contracts may put HS2 Ltd at a commercial disadvantage and consequently it is not appropriate to release this information. We are committed to delivering Phase 1 within the total funding envelope of £27.18bn (in 2015 prices).

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Nigeria: Human Rights

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Nigeria regarding reports by Amnesty International that unlawful and excessive force has been used by the Nigerian Air Force against civilians in Lawaru, Dong, Kodomti, Shafaron, and Nzuruwei.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We remain concerned by reports of human rights violations by the Nigerian security forces. We continue to make clear to the Nigerian authorities the importance of transparent investigations of human rights violations, accountability at all levels, and the protection of civilians in conflict areas and in places of detention.

Nigeria: Religious Freedom

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Nigeria regarding reports of attacks by Islamist Fulani herders on Christian communities.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are concerned by recurrent clashes involving pastoralists and local farmers of all faiths. We have raised our concerns at State and Federal government levels and urge the Nigerian Government to work with the affected populations. We welcome President Buhari's commitment to focus on assisting the affected communities, bringing perpetrators to justice and examining longer-term peaceful solutions to the conflict.

Nigeria: Human Rights

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Amnesty International's recommendation that, following recent military attacks on villages in Adamawa State, the Nigerian Air Force should submit itsvideo footage and all relevant information it holds to the Nigerian authorities, specifically the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: It is essential that actions taken by the Nigerian Armed Forces and security services are in accordance with international human rights and humanitarian laws. We urge the Nigerian government to investigate allegations of human rights violations and, where allegations are confirmed, hold those responsible to account.

Nigeria: Religious Freedom

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Nigeria in response to reports of Christian villages in Adamawa State being simultaneously attacked by the Nigerian Air Force and Islamist Fulani herders.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​It is essential that actions taken by the Nigerian Armed Forces and security services are in accordance with international human rights and humanitarian laws. We call on the Nigerian Air Force to comply with investigations by the Nigerian authorities and ensure accountability on all sides.We are concerned by recurrent clashes involving pastoralists and local farmers of all faiths. We have raised our concerns at State and Federal government levels and urge the Nigerian Government to work with the affected populations. We urge the Nigerian Government to investigate allegations of human rights violations and, where allegations are confirmed, hold those responsible to account.

Syria: Radicalism

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 20 December 2017 (HL Deb, col 2112), whether they have undertaken the investigation into UK Government funding of bodies in Syria allied to jihadists; and what were the findings of that investigation.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government does not fund extremists or any organisation with links to extremists in Syria. The Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa wrote to all members of both Houses on 10 January about the outcome of the investigations that we conducted into Adam Smith International (ASI) following allegations by the BBC's Panorama that funding we had provided to ASI may have been diverted. In that letter the Minister confirmed that both internal and third party investigations had concluded. These found no evidence that either Her Majesty's Government or ASI had acted inappropriately. The investigations concluded that the allegations were either (i) untrue, (ii) misleading or (iii) were dealt with appropriately by the project and donors at the time through the robust risk management and monitoring procedures in place.

Department for Education

Special Educational Needs: Speech and Language Disorders

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government, whetherthe current tender for the provision of strategic support to the workforce in mainstream and special schools includes specialist speech, language and communication needs provision; and if not, how they intend to fund such specialist provision for children beyond March.

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what response they intend to make to the petition signed by 22,000 teachers, early years practitioners and speech and language therapists opposing the cuts in funding announced by the Department for Education; and whether they will communicate the reasons for their funding decision to those working in the sector.

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to support the work of the Communication Trust after March 2018; and if so, how.

viscount younger of leckie: In March 2017 the department agreed a one year contract with I CAN, on behalf of The Communication Trust (TCT), to develop sustainable programmes and resources to help the workforce develop their skills in supporting children and young people with Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN). That contract is due to end, as planned, at the end of March 2018.The department is currently procuring a new Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) strategic workforce contractor, to help schools develop improved knowledge and skills among their staff, in relation to specific impairments. This contract will include work to promote existing resources and training, as well as identifying and filling any gaps in provision.The government is committed to supporting those with SLCN and will do more to embed knowledge and ensure good practice is disseminated and understood widely. The new Social Mobility Action Plan (SMAP), ‘Unlocking Talent, Fulfilling Potential’, attached, prioritises work in the early years to close the word gap and improve early language acquisition for disadvantaged children. The SMAP includes proposals for continuing professional development training and an early language assessment tool for health visitors and early years practitioners, to ensure that any language delays can be picked up and the right support put in place quickly. The department expects to invite tenders for this work and welcomes bids from all suitably qualified organisations or consortia.The department is also encouraging bids for the Strategic School Improvement Fund and the Teaching Leadership Innovation Fund, which focus on improving provision for pupils with SEND. The Education Training Foundation is also being funded to increase the capability and capacity of the workforce to respond to the needs of students in further education.The department will continue to respond to all correspondence on this issue, setting out how the department will ensure that children with SLCN have the right support in place.The government wants to ensure that all practitioners continue to be able to make good use of the wealth of materials, resources and training that the TCT have developed. It is expected that the member organisations of the TCT will share the training and materials, supported by our new SEND strategic workforce contractor. The department is in regular discussion with TCT about how best to achieve this beyond March 2018.



Unlocking Talent, Fulfilling Potential
(PDF Document, 2.63 MB)

Ministry of Justice

Reoffenders: Sentencing

lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to review sentencing guidelines for offences committed by people previously incarcerated for serious crimes against the person.

lord keen of elie: Sentencing guidelines are issued by the independent Sentencing Council. The Council have a duty to monitor the use of guidelines and will review them where appropriate. Those guidelines should be followed by courts at the point of sentencing in conjunction with other statutory requirements, including the need to take account of previous convictions. There are appeal processes to enable prompt challenges to a sentence, including, in some circumstances, the ability of the Attorney General to refer to the Court of Appeal an unduly lenient sentence.

Home Office

Immigration

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the deadline for responses to immigration applications.

baroness williams of trafford: UKVI service standards for immigration applications can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration/about-our-services#service-standardsWhere an application is defined as non-straightforward due to complexity, the customer will be written to within the normal processing time to explain why it will not be decided within the normal standard, and to explain what will happen next.

HM Treasury

VAT

lord allen of kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of leaving the EU VAT area on British companies,including small and micro businesses.

lord bates: It is the Government’s intention that the administration of the VAT regime following EU exit will remain largely as it currently is, as far as is desirable and practicable. Further information can be found in the Impact Assessment that accompanied the Taxation (Cross Border Trade) Bill, published on 20/11/2017.

Office for Budget Responsibility

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the role of the Office for Budget Responsibility in economic forecasting, in the light of the Treasury's analysis of the economic impact of Brexit.

lord bates: The OBR’s remit is set out in the Budget Responsibility and National Audit Act 2011 which is to ‘examine and report on the sustainability of the public finances’. In doing so, the OBR must produce at least two forecasts per financial year which must include the impact of government policy where it can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.

Public Bodies

baroness bowles of berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 1 February (HL4990), what other examples there are of non-departmental central government bodies that have operated on the basis of expected status rather than actual status confirmed by the National Accounts Classification Committee; and if there are such examples, for how long those bodies operated before their status was confirmed.

lord bates: Information is not held centrally relating to a full historic list of central government bodies that have operated on the basis of expected status rather than actual status, as confirmed by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). In the absence of an ONS classification, the Treasury can advise on sector classification (i.e. whether a body is in or outside central government). Where the ONS has not yet taken a decision on a body, it will be considered to be within Central Government if it appears to fit the criteria for classification as a ‘central government’ body.

Cabinet Office

Palace of Westminster: Repairs and Maintenance

lord hennessy of nympsfield: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to seek the consent of Her Majesty the Queen for a full decant of both Houses of Parliament.

lord young of cookham: As a parliamentary programme, the delivery of the Restoration and Renewal (R&R) of the Palace of Westminster is a matter for both Houses of Parliament. I understand that the Queen’s consent may be required in relation to the Bill to brought forward in respect of R&R.

Department for International Trade

Trade Agreements

lord allen of kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ability of theUK to make sector-specific trade agreements with other nations in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a trade deal and reverts to World Trade Organisation rules.

baroness fairhead: The UK is talking to a number of countries about future trading options, and it is too early to say what this will mean in a particular case or with any particular country.As one of the world's largest economies, we have the chance to work with old and new partners to build a truly Global Britain at the heart of international trade.We are using instruments like Joint Trade Reviews, a collaborative in-depth analysis into the mutual trading relationship between the UK and a partner country, to look for areas we can improve our bilateral trading relationships.We will aim, through these discussions, to put in place various mechanisms to improve trading relations and remove barriers affecting UK businesses.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Radio Frequencies

lord clement-jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Ofcom about why the draft funding scheme for users of Programme Making and Special Events equipment displaced by the 700 MHz clearance was limited to the residual value of equipment.

lord clement-jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Ofcom about why the draft funding scheme for users of Programme Making and Special Events equipment displaced by the 700 MHz clearance required equipment to have 50per cent or more of its tuning range in the 700 MHz band to be eligible for funding.

lord clement-jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Ofcom aboutwhythe draft funding scheme for users of Programme Making and Special Events equipment displaced by the 700 MHz clearance does not cover non-equipment clearance related costs.

lord clement-jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatdiscussions they have had with Ofcom aboutthe impact of the 700 MHz clearance on Programme Making and Special Events equipment operating below 694 MHz.

lord clement-jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Ofcom about the non-equipment costs of Programme Making and Special Events equipment users clearing the 700 MHz band.

lord ashton of hyde: Ofcom issued a consultation on a Help Scheme for PMSE last year. Ofcom has reviewed responses to the consultation and will be publishing its Statement in due course. Ofcom have provided advice to Government on the proposed scheme and the details of the scheme, including eligibility criteria, will be set out in the forthcoming Statement.

Radio Frequencies

lord clement-jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Ofcom about whether the future auction proceeds generated by the 700 MHz clearance were considered when designing the funding scheme for users of Programme Making and Special Events equipment displaced by the 700 MHz clearance.

lord ashton of hyde: Up to £55m of funding will be available to help support the programme making and special events sectors impacted by the 700MHz spectrum clearance programme. ​This is part of the funding envelope for the 700MHz clearance programme to achieve the benefits associated with the spectrum clearance, independent of potential auction receipts.

Exhibitions: North of England

baroness wyld: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to promote the Great Exhibition of the North 2018.

baroness wyld: To ask Her Majesty's Government what ministerial visits are planned to the Great Exhibition of the North 2018.

lord ashton of hyde: The Great Exhibition of the North will be the largest event in England in 2018 and a game- changing moment for the North of England. The Exhibition will run from 22 June – 9 September 2018. Ministers have visited NewcastleGateshead and met with local business, key partners and the Exhibition delivery team. Further visits are planned for the opening weekend and at key stages throughout the 80 days of the Exhibition. NewcastleGateshead Initiative (NGI), a public private partnership established in 2000, will deliver the Exhibition and is responsible for all operational aspects including promotion of the Exhibition. The department is supporting all aspects of promotional activity.